Merchandise display apparatus



April 25, 1939. s. H. BONNAR MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9, 1938 Wall A ril 25, 1939.

B. H. BONNAR MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS V 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1958 amwwuf April 25, 1939. B. 'H. BONNAR MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 9, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3% wmiim I GUM r0 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 PATENT OFFICE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY APPARATUS Benjamin H. Bonnar, Toledo, Ohio; Alys E. Bonnar, Toledo, Ohio, executrix of Benjamin H. Bonnar, deceased, assignor to Alys E. Bonnar,

Toledo, Ohio Application February 9, 1938, Serial No. 189,640

11 Claims.

such opening and to advance it laterally from its main line of travelto a convenient position for display and removal.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in such an apparatus, of means which is automatically operable by the clothes advancing or presenting action of the conveyor to shut off power and'stop the conveyor in predetermined position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment of'the invention, and in-Which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a row of cabinets embodying the invention, with the display doors open and portions of the cabinet fronts broken away; Fig; 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with a part broken away and with the row of clothes adjacent to the display opening in retracted or travel position; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, with a part broken away and with a row of clothes shown advanced to display position;

A Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 4-'-4in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-'-5 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electric wiring and control.

1 Referring to the drawings, I designates a cabinet, one or more of which may be conveniently arranged in a room, as for instance along a side wall thereof, and which has a display opening 2 in the lower portion of its front side adapted to be closed by a door 3. This door, in the present instance, is of the vertical sliding'type and its weight is counterbalanced by one or more weights 4 attached to its upper end by cords 5passing over .guide sheaves 6..

Within the cabinet in suitably spaced relation to its front and back is a frame comprising four rectangularly arranged uprights H rising fromthe cabinet floor to near its top and rigidly connectedby suitable crossmembers l2 with those whichextend-crosswise of the frame, as distinguished from front to back, spaced inwardly a suitable distance from the front and back sides of the frame so as not to interfere with the travel of the clothes carried by the conveyor as hereinafter described.

The conveyor comprises two endless chains I5, one disposed at each side of the frame within the respective side uprights H and guided for substantially a rectangular course of movement by four corner sheaves l6 mounted in suitable bearings secured to the frame, as best shown in Fig. 2. The front and back vertical runs of the chains are preferably disposed in outwardly spaced relation to the frame l0. Each chain l5 at its top cross run passes over a pair of spaced guide sheaves I1, and intermediate such sheaves is looped down under a slack take-up sheave [8 which has its carrying block I 9 guided for limited vertical sliding movements by a bracket arm I9 projecting downwardly from the respective top cross member I2 of the frame. The bearing block of the pulley I8 is connected by a coiled contractile spring 20 to the lower end of the bracket arm I9*-, such spring acting through the sheave to normally take up slack in the chain.

The drive means for the conveyor chains [5 includes an electric motor 2| mounted on certain of the lower cross members [2 of the frame, which motor has a small pulley 22 in driving connection through a belt 23 with a larger pulley 24 mounted on a cross shaft 25 extending from one side to the other of the frame. This cross shaft at each end has a small sprocket 26 in driving connection through a chain 21 with a large sprocket 28 mounted on the shaft with the lower front corner sheave l6, so that the drive for each chain is through such lower front sheave.

The two chains I5 are connected at predetermined spaced intervals by cross bars 30 from which merchandise to be displayed, such for instance as clothes, may be hung, each bar supporting a row of such merchandise. Each bar 30, in the present instance, is shown as comprising a cross shaft 3| (Fig. 4) fixed at its ends to the respective chains and having mounted thereon intermediate the chains a freely rotatable sleeve 32.

It is desirable in practice to have the merchandise travel with the conveyor chains in retracted relation to the display opening 2, except when a desired row of clothes is to be displayed, and to then have such row presented or advanced into convenient display and removal position in or adjacent to the display opening of the cabinet. To accomplish this, each chain is provided below each cross bar in predetermined spaced relation thereto with a pair of cam plates 35, which, in the present instance, when traveling around the respective lower front drive sheave or sprocket I 6, by which they are backed, engage a cam roll on a rocker-arm 31 and effect a predetermined forward and downward rocking of such arm, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The rocker-arm 3'! is pivoted to a bracket 38 on the respective front frame upright H, and it is pivotally connected near its outer end to a link '39 which extends downward and is pivoted at its lower end to the forwardly extending arm of an L-shaped rocker member All pivoted to a bracket 4| on said frame upright. An advancing arm 42 pivotally rises from the same pivot on the bracket 4| as the rocker and extends upward at the side of the respective chain 15 and has .an inwardly extending cam flange 43 at its upper end disposed rearwardly of but in the path of move- .ment of rollers 44;mounted on the outer ends ofthe bars 30 at the outer sides of the chains I5.

Itis thus apparent that when the end rolls 44 of a .cross bar 30 are disposed in advance of the cam flanges 43 of the rocker-arm 42, .one of which is disposed at each side of the frame I0, and such arms are swung forward, the engaged bar and the portions of the conveyor chains adjacent thereto will be moved forward therewith to display or presenting position, as shown in Fig. 3. Such advancing of a cross bar causes a lengthening of the chains which is compensated for by an upward movement of the two idler sheaves |8 against the tension of the springs 20.

The rocker 40 is adapted to have rocking movements relative to the advancing arm 42, and such movements are only communicated to the latter. from the former when a catch means carried by one is in engagement with the other. Such catch means, in the present instance, comvprises a catch dog 45 pivoted to the arm 42 and normallyheld in catch engagement with a shouldered portion of the upwardly extending arm of the rocker 4!] by a coiled contractile spring 46. An Lzshaped trip finger 41 is pivoted to the adjacent frame upright H, as shown in Fig. 3, .and has its forwardly extending end normally .in register with and engaging ,a lug' 4B on the .upper side of the .catch dog 45 to hold Such dog releasedfrom the rocker 40 when the arm 42 is in normal rearward position, as shown in Fig. 2.

. When the dog 45 is thus released from the rocker 40, the latter may have repeated rocking movements imparted thereto as successive cam plates 35 on the chain pass in engagement with the rocker rolls 36 without imparting any movement to the chain advancing arms .42. A spring 49-connects the lower extended end of the arm '31 andthe arm 42 to yieldingly retain them in the positions shown in Fig. 2.

Thetrip finger 41 is solenoid actuated to release the catch dog 45 and permit its engagement -with-the rocker 40, such solenoid being shown at 50 (Fig. 3). The solenoid is controlled by a push button 5| (Fig. 1) in convenient reach of the operator, and when such button is pushed the solenoid is energized to move the trip finger 41 to released position, as shownin Fig. 3. Itwill be understood that the chain bar advancing means and the trip means therefor are in duplicat e'for each chain of a unit, and the solenoids 5|) thereof controlled by a single push button or other suitable control 5|. It is also apparent that when the solenoid circuit is opened, the trip fingers 4'1 dropto dog engaging position, so that upon a return of the arms 42 to normal retracted position, the respective dogs 45 engage the trip fingers and are released from engagement with the rockers 40.

The main control switch for the chain driv ing motor 2|, in the present instance, is manually controlled by two push buttons 52 and 53 (Fig. 1), one of which may be operated to close the motor circuit and effect a movement of the conveyor chains and the other may be operated to effect an opening of the motor circuit and a stopping of the movement of the chains. So long as the motor circuit is closed and the circuit of the solenoids 5|] is open, the conveyor chains will continue to operate and the rows of clothes or other merchandise carried thereby successively moved past the display opening. When the advancing means has been actuated and an engaged conveyor 3|] thereby advanced a predetermined distance by the forward rocking action of the advancing arms 42, an ,end of the bar, in the present instance, will engage a switch arm 55 (Fig. 3) and move it forward to ,efiect an opening of aswitch in the motor circuit, thus stopping a further movement of the conveyor. The arm 55 is normally retracted to open switch position by .a spring 56.

It is apparent inthe use'of the invention that a movement of the conveyor is effected by pressing the starter button 52 to close the motor circuit, the rows of clothes or other merchandise carried by the conveyor bars 30 being then suee e y m edpas t i p a o en n Qf th cabinet. When a row of clothes which it is desired to display to a customer is near the display opening, the operator presses the trip button 5|, thereby energizing the solenoid 50 and effecting release of the trip finger 41 from the catch dog 45, permitting the latter to drop into catch engagement with the rocker. After the trip finger 4! hasbeen released, the cam plates 35, associated with or in advance of the bar 30 carryi the lo he t be d s l d n a e the rolls .36 on the rocker-arms 31 and effect a downward tion, as shownin Fig. .3. As the conveyor bar 30 is moved to such position, it strikes the switch arm 55' and moves it to open the associated motor circuit switch to effect av stopping of the .con veyor. A manual stopping of the conveyor may be efiected at any timeby pressing the stop button 53 to openthe motor circuit switch associated therewith.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departingfrom the spirit of the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1 In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having provision for carrying a plurality of sets of merchandise in predeterdriving the conveyor, control means for said driving means, and manually controlledmechanism automatically operable at a predetermined point in a movement of the conveyor to effect a predetermined advancing of a predetermined portion of the conveyor and an associated merchandise set'to display position laterally of the normal path of movement of the associated portion of the conveyor.

2. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having provision for carrying a plurality of sets of merchandise in predetermined spaced relation therearound, means guiding the movement of said conveyor, means for driving the conveyor, control means for said driving means, manually controlled mechanism automatically operable at a predetermined point in a movement of the conveyor to effect a predetermined advancing of an adjacent portion of the conveyor and an associated merchandise set to display position, said mechanism including a primary rocker means having rocking movements imparted thereto by the conveyor at predetermined points in its movement, a secondary rocker means normally disengaged from the first rocker means and operable when engaged to rock with said first rocker means and effect an advancing of a display portion of the conveyor, and a trip normally retaining said first and second rocker means disengaged and movable to permit such engagement.

3. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having a plurality of merchandise carrying cross bars in predetermined spaced relation therearound, means for driving and guiding said conveyor, cam means on the conveyor in association with each cross bar, and bar advancing mechanism normally inoperative and manually controlled to be operated by a selected cam means at a predetermined point in a movement of the conveyor toeffect a predetermined movement of the associated cross bar laterally of the path of travel of the conveyor to presenting position.

4. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having a plurality of merchandise carrying cross bars in predetermined spaced relation therearound, means for driving and guiding said conveyor, cam means on the conveyor in association with each cross bar, means movable by each of said cam means as it passes a predetermined point in its travel, advancing means movable to advance a cross bar to merchandise presenting position when said last means is moved by an associated cam means, catch means between said cam moved means and said advancing means to cause them to impart movement from one to the other, and means normally retaining said catch means disengaged and materially operable to permit engagement thereof.

5. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having provision for carrying a plurality of sets of merchandise in predetermined spaced relation therearound, means guiding the movement of said conveyor, means for driving the conveyor, control means for said driving means, manually controlled mechanism automatically operable at a predetermined point in a movement of the conveyor to effect a predetermined advancing of an adjacent portion of the conveyor and an associated merchandise set to display position, and means operated by a presenting movement of the conveyor to effect a stopping of the driving of the conveyor.

6. In a display apparatus of the class described,

an endless conveyor having a plurality of merchandise carrying cross bars in predetermined spaced relation therearound, means for driving and guiding said conveyor, cam means on the conveyor in association with each cross bar, bar

advancing mechanism normally inoperative and manually controlled to be operated by a selected cam means at a predetermined point in a movement of the conveyor to efiect a predetermined movement of the associated cross bar laterally of the path of travel of the conveyor to presenting position, and means automatically operable to stop the driving action of the conveyor when a display portion of the conveyor has been advanced to display position by said advancing mechanism.

7. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor including article carrying portions in predetermined spaced relation thereon, means for driving and guiding said conveyor,

means for yieldingly taking up slack in the conveyor, and mechanism actuated at predetermined points in a movement of the conveyor to advance article carrying portions thereof to presenting position laterally of the conveyor travel, and

means normally rendering said mechanism inoperative and manually controlled to permit an operation thereof.

8. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor including article carrying display portions in predetermined spaced relation thereon, means for driving and guiding said conveyor, means for yieldingly taking up slack in the conveyor, cam means carried by the conveyor in association with each display portion, an arm rockable to engage the conveyor and effect a lateral movement of a selected display portion thereof to presenting position, actuating means operable by the associated cam means to effect a rocking of said rocker-arm and normally disengage therefrom, and manually controlled means operable to permit an engagement of said actuating means and arm.

9. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having an article carrying portion and a cam portion in association with said carrying portion, means for driving and guiding the movement of said conveyor, mechanism operable by coaction therewith of said cam portion to effect a predetermined advancing of said article carrying portion laterally of its guided path of movement to presenting position, said mechanism being normally inoperative for such purpose, and means operable to render said mechanism operable for said purpose.

10. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having an article carrying portion and a cam portion in association with said carrying portion, means for driving and guiding the movement of said conveyor, mechanism operable by coaction therewith of said cam portion to effect a predetermined advancing of said article carrying portion laterally of its guided path of movement to presenting position, said mechanism being normally inoperative for such purpose, means operable to render said mechanism operable for said purpose, and means automatically operable by movement of said carrying portion to presenting" position to stop the driving of the conveyor.

11. In a display apparatus of the class described, an endless conveyor having an article carrying portion and an associated cam portion, means for driving and guiding said conveyor and permitting it to have a looped portion, yielding of, and means for connecting said last two means for imparting advancing movements to one from cam actuated rocking movements of the other, said connecting means being normally broken and manually controlled to effect an operating ,5

connection of said rocker and advancing means.

BENJAMIN I-I. BONNAR. 

